Healthy Ageing

The vision for the Healthy Ageing group is to identify and to optimize sustainable interventional strategies for improved or maintained brain health throughout the lifespan. The mission is to conduct interdisciplinary population-based neuroscience research that provides unique insights into the neuro-cognitive mechanisms of brain and cognitive ageing, with a particular emphasis on novel interventions for neuro-enhancement.

Particular focus is on life-style factors, for example physical activity, and by combining advanced brain mapping techniques with extensive behavioural testing we are starting to understand the neural and behavioural effects. In the future, we aim to also include physiologically tailored brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS), as a potential interventional strategy for neuro-enhancement in aging. We also aim to move further towards understanding motor control in aging, with particular focus on the interplay between cognitive and motor performances. In all our projects, we strive for high academic standards, innovative methods and techniques, and an ambitious, fun and diverse work environment.

We also contribute to population neuroscience research by being part of several cohort studies. Associate Professor Ellen Garde is managing the Live active healthy ageing (LISA) study and the LifeMabs. Lisa is a 1 year physical training intervention comparing moderate with high intensity resistance training. The study includes 450 community-dwelling healthy individuals aged 62-70 years, and besides from MRI scans of the brain also physical and cognitive assessments are performed. The study was initiated with Bispebjerg Hospital and Centre for Healthy Ageing, University of Copenhagen. The long-term follow-ups (2 – 10 years) will provide possibilities to track individual late-life ageing trajectories. The LifeMabs aims at understanding the effect of early-life exposures and developmental aspects on midlife MRI and behavioural readouts. Here, 400 middle-aged individuals that previously participated in The Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort (CPC), the Prenatal Development Project (PDP) as well as the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) are included. Combining early life information with psychological assessment and high-resolution quantitative MR imaging techniques in late midlife, a unique database is developed. LifeMabs is conducted in collaboration with Department of Public Health and Centre for Healthy Ageing, Copenhagen University.

We work in close collaboration with other groups at the DRCMR, and also with local groups across Copenhagen and international research centres. We are always looking for talented, enthusiastic and motivated group members, so if you have an interest in interventions and lifespan brain imaging, do not hesitate to contact us.